Apparatus for automatically severing tubing and the like



1945; w. E. EDWARDS 2,366,243

APHMTUS FQR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING TUBING AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 194a Sheets-Sheet 1 J5 585037 Z7 26 2827 F INVENTOR W/LL/AMEEDWAROS,

Jan. 2, 1945. w E, EDWARDS APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING TUBING AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MLL/AM55DWAPDS,

IIII IIIIII III l I I! 1 MN 5 3 III ll la xll III I N APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING TUBING AND LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR r EDWARDS APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLYSEVERING -TUBING AND THE LIKE '7? Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 9, 1943 INVENTOR Jan. 2, 1945. w. E. EDWARDS 2,366,243

@PPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING TU BING AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 mulvi l+AATE$TP0lNT N 0F RELEAfE I MAX. 0 i G 2 s 5 8 g CLOSED(NORMAL) GR/PPER swam-0w.

O FULLY OPEN GR/PPER A cr/o/v N- ml- H VERTICAL mA v54 2 OPS/1W a" swap/ms.

SAW STROKE c S OPEN CLOSED INVENTOR Ll/AME fan 419w;

CLEARANCE BETWEEN BLADE AND GR/PPE D END OF TUBE L 1. lM/T SW/ TCH L DEGREES OF CAM ROTATION t 5 2| I50 I80 EIO 240 270 300 330 360 Jan. 2, 1945. w E D 2,366,243

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING TUBING AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR W4 A /,4M farm/90s,

Jan. 2, 1945. w. E. EDWARDS APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVERING TUBING AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 9, 1943 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR M5 EDI 164905,

Patented Jan. 2, 1945 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY SEVER- ING TUBING AND LIKE William E. Edwards, Ellwood City,

to National Tube i g New Jersey "Pa", assignor Company, a corporation of Application December 9, 1943, Serial No. 513,505

4 Claims. (01. 23-69) In Patent'No. 2,340,870, issued February 8, 1944, in which I am named as one of the joint inventors, there is revealed an improved apparatus for automatically severing tubing or similar elongated work into predetermined lengths as it comes from a reducing machine of known construction. l

The present invention relates to an improvement over the apparatus shown in the above identified patent, wherebythe saw blade is moved .aX-ially away from the severed end of the gripped portion of the. workpiece before the back stroke 'of the saw is efiected.

The machine includes imparted the longitudinal ing tube. in such a a carriage to which is movement of a travel- A saw is supported by the carriage way that it can sever the tube transversely while both the tube and carriage are in I motion.

The mechanism preferably includes a kick-out table for receiving the severed tube, and means such as illustrated in the above identified patent are provided for releasing the severed tube so as to permit it to roll by gravity to a storage point or to a suitable shipping receptacle.

As more fully explained hereinafter, my present improvement contemplates the provision of automatic means on a carriage for gripping a tube,

automatic control means for timing the movements of a saw to'sever the tube in combination with means for automatically moving thesaw axially away from the severed end of the gripped portion of the tube, so that as the saw is retracted to starting position itwill adequately clear the tube and thus prevent damage to the saw or mutilation of the work on the back stroke.

For a full understanding of all aspects of the present invention, referenceshould be made to the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central'longitudinal vertical sectional view of a machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in horizontal sectiomthe section being taken on line 11-41 of c Figure Figure 3 is an end elevation looking from the right-hand side of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line IV-IV of 5 Figure 2. i t

Figure 5 is a vertical Figure 2. a t

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectionof the tubegripping element.

section on line V- -V of formance by curves Figure 7 is a fr nt elevation of Figure 6, lookingfrom the left. i l

Figure 8 isan elevation at the opposite endof Figured. Figure 9 isa section on the .line. IX-IX of Figure '7:

'Figures 10 throughl i are diagrams illustrating various stages in operation of sawing an advancmg tube, the diagrams showing the various positions of the saw, cams, levers, and related The severing mechanism, the operation of which is coordlnated'with that of the tube-reducing mechanism and kickout table, includes side frames I supported on a suitable base.

Mounted at longitudinally spaced points on the inward side of each side frame are two track wheels 2 the axles of. which are supported by antifriction bearings housed in side frames 1. l A saw carriage 3, equipped withrails 4, making a rolling contact with wheels 2 and restricted from lateral deflection by ball bearing. rollers 5, is housed between the side frames i, arranged for longitudinal travel in one plane.

Supported on the under-side of the shown in Figures 1 to 3, is a gear motor 5 having a shaft carrying a gear 6' which meshes with distributinggear 1 which in turn engagessaw crank drive gears 8 and vertical Rotation of saw crank drive gears 8 transmits motion through shafts III to bevel gears II which mesh with mating; bevel gears i2. Rotative motion of bevel gears I 2 transmits motion to four similar cranks l3 aflixed toextreme ends of the two crank shafts l4. Attached to four extreme corners of saw motor mounting l5-are respective one-piece, longitudinally bored bearings 16 by means of whichouter ends of crankslt' arepin connected thereto. motor mounting I 5 Rigidly mounted upon saw ture shaft thereon Thus simultaneous "rotation of the four cranks l3, by means of gearing heretofore explained, produces the desired forward and retracting stroke of the saw transversely of the line of travelof the carriage, for severing thus being carriage, as I cam shaft drive gear 9.

is saw motor l1 having a circular disk saw la -firmly attached to the armailar workpiece.

serves to rotate relief cam and bevel gear 2| which are keyed respectively to extreme top and bottom of said vertical cam shaft. (Figures 4 and 5.) Bevel gear 2| engages mating bevel gear 22 keyed to horizontal cam shaft 23 to which are affixed gripper cam 24, cranks 23' carrying return rollers 25, and a limit switch operating cam 39, hereinafter referred to.

In order to impart a. feeding motion to the carriage, it is equipped with gripping mechanism adapted to grip the workpiece as it is fed forward by the reducing unit, in the manner shown in the above identified application, or by any other suitable feed. The gripping mechanism, best shown in Figures 1 and 6, is supported from a hollow spindle 25 journalled on ball bearings 21 mounted in a housing 23 normally moving with the carriage but slidably mounted thereon in guides 28, permitting a slight relative axial movement between housing 28 and carriage 3 when compression spring 29, one end of which engages "housing 28 and the other end carriage 3, is compressed by the action ofvsaid cam 20 acting through follower 40. After the tube is severed by the saw, the coaction of .cam 20 and follower 40 is effective to impart an additional forward movement to the saw carriage, saw motor, motor mounting and saw blade as a unit with respect to the gripper housing 28, and the cut end of the gripped tube. The thus-produced added movement provides an advantageous clearance between the saw blade and the cut end of the tube on the upward or retracting stroke of the saw blade. 1

The gripping mechanism inclu es a collar 30 which is mounted near one extremity of the hollow spindle 2B, the collar being formed with a plurality of T-shaped uide slots 3| (best shown in Figures 6 to 9) which are inclined at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the advancing tube. Slidingly engaging the slots 3| are a plurality of gripper jaws 32-which, when the collar 30 is moved axially to the left in ,Figure 6, are effective to wedgingly force the several gripper jaws into firm engagement with the tube or sim- Since the collar 30 is supported by the spindle 26 which is in turnjournaled on the carriage, this will compel the carriage to partake of the movement imparted to the tube by the reducing unit.

A gripper bell crank yoke 33 (Figures 1 and 2) is pivotally mounted on studs 34 extending through bosses 35, said bosses being integral with and protruding inwardly from vertical sides of carriage 3 and in a suitable longitudinal position for engagement of the gripper bell crank yoke 33 with gripper collar 30 on the yoke end and with gripper'cam 24 on the crank end. The gripper cam 24 is secured to the horizontal cam shaft 23 and is adapted to impart movement to follower roller 33? mounted on the crank end of said gripper bell crank yoke 33. Rotative movement of the gripper cam 24 allows the follower roller 33' to eventually seek the smaller diameter of cam 24, which movement is urged by compression springs 35' (Figures 6 to 8), lodged within cylindrical slots 36 formed in collar 30, one end of each spring bearing against the bottoms of said cylindrical slots 36 and the other end of each spring bearing against a ring 31 surrounding and firmly attached to spindle 26. Thus upon expansion of compression springs 35', the collar 30 is slidingly moved to the left in Figure 6, to efpiece. Further rotation of the gripper cam 24 to such a point where the large diameter of the cam 24 is presented to the follower roller 33 positively moves the gripper bell crank yoke 33 in a direction to move the collar 30 in the opposite direction, with resultant disengagement of the grippers. To suit varying diameters of work to be handled, different size gripping jaws may be employed. Firmly affixed to each end of the horizontal cam shaft 23 there are cranks 23 carrying return rollers 25. Suitably located for contact with return rollers 25 and pivotally mounted on stationary side frames l are return fingers 38 carrying counterweights 38' arranged to exert a turning moment about a finger pivot stud 38" whereby contact with the aforementioned return rollers 25 exerts a horizontal force, tending to move carriage 3 in a direction opposite that imparted thereto by the feeding movement of the workpiece. Thus the arrangement of return rollers 25 on horizontal cam shaft 23 for contact with return fingers 38 at the proper point in the severing cycle, effects immediate return of the saw carriage 3 to starting position at the moment the jaws 32 are released from the workpiece.

The aforementioned limit switch operating cam 39 is also mounted on the horizontal cam shaft 23, and the limit switch B, shown in Figures 10 to 14, is suitably mounted on the carriage 3 to maintain circuit through the gear motor 6, which circuit is originally established by the tube tripping a target switch on the outlet table as the tube is fed forward over the run-out table. Maintenance of this circuit by limit switch B assures complete severing of the tube or Workpiece and the return cycle of saw IB and consequent circuit breakage upon its completion.

Except for the saw supporting means and the slidable mounting for the spindle housing 28 and means for shifting it relatively to the carriage 3, the above described mechanism is in many respects similar to that shown in the-above mentioned patent No. 2,340,870.

An important novel feature of the herein claimed improvement is the means whereby the saw blade is moved axially away from the severed end of the gripped portion of the tube before the back stroke of the saw is effected. A 1 preferred relief means for securing this safe'saw clearance will now be set forth in detail.

The relief cam 20, as mentioned above, is keyed to the upper end of the vertical cam shaft l9 journaled in the saw carriage 3. Thus when a tube is gripped in the jaws 32 the sleeve 26 and housing 28 are held against movement with respect to the tube and the roller 40 carried by the housing 28 becomes a fixed reaction point against which the cam 20 acts. is seen that rotation of the cam 20, which is mounted on the saw carriage 3, will move the saw carriage relative to the gripped tube axially thereof, said axial movement being in the same the relief cam 20 with the saw stroke cycle will,

by means of the aforementioned added movement of the saw carriage 3, shift the saw blade 18 and the saw base 3 on which it is mounted, 1ongitudinally away from the severed end of the gripped portion of the tube before the back stroke of the saw is effected.

Accordingly, it

The saw carriage 3 and spindle housing 28 are so constructed and arranged that movement in the required direction to cause the saw to clear the severed end of the tube is resisted by compression spring 29 having one end bearing against a projection 3 on the saw carriage 3 and the other end reacting against a pin 28 secured to the spindle housing 28, as best shown in Figure 6. Thus, upon return of .therelief cam to inactive position, the spring 29 effects relative return motion between the saw carriage 3 and spindle housing 28 at conclusion of the saw return stroke, thus resetting the mechanism for positive saw relief action or clearance from the work atthe end of the next tube severing operation.

Figures 10 to 15 inclusive graphically illustrate relative positions of the parts during different periods in the operating cycle. In Figures 10 to 14 I have shown in dotted lines in plan view the different relative positions of the relief cam 20 and the roller by means of which relief movement is imparted to the housing 28, these parts being also shown in side elevation in full lines in the same views.

In Figures 10 to 14 inclusive the saw blade, crankshaft, and crank drive gears are shown 90 from their true positions with respect to,

the gripper spindle carriage, to facilitate showing relative motions. The true positions are shown in Figures 1 to 9.

In the diagram of Figure 15,the vertical reference lines represent 15 increments. The speed of the shaft 23 is such that a complete revolution of 360 takes place in six seconds. The numerals at the top of the diagram represent time intervals in seconds and those at the bottom denote 30 angular intervals during the course of one complete revolution charted. The, graph G represents the gripper action; graph S represents the saw stroke; graph shows the amount of clearance between the fiat side face of the i saw blade and the severed end of the gripped portion of the tube; graph L shows the intervals during which the limit switch B, controlling the circuit of motor 6, is opened and clcmed respectively. A complete cycle constitutes 360 rotation of the cam shaft 23, or complete rotation of shaft I9 geared 1:1 thereto. The synchronization of the various operating parts can be readily visualized by comparison of the relative positions shown in Figures 10 to 14 inclusive in conjunction with the graphs in Figure 15.

Figure 10 illustrates the relative positions of the parts at either the start or conclusion of a cycle. The cycle starts when the leading end of a tube fed by the tube reducing machine trips a conventional form of target switch mounted on the outlet trough, as shown i the prior application above mentioned. This starts the drive motor 6, the circuit of which is maintained when the limit switch cam 39 closes limit switch B. The cycle stops when the limit switch cam 39 allows limit switch B to open, thus stopping drive motor 6.

Figure 11 shows the position of the parts after the shaft has turned 20 from the position of Figure 10. At this stage of Figure 11, the saw blade is moving down, the gripper cam 24 has passed from under the gripper fork roller 33', and springs 35' have caused the gripper jaws 32 to move radially inwardly and grip the tube. Return roller 25 has been lifted clear of the returning finger 3B, and the saw carriage is now free to travel forward with the tube under in- (5 fluence of movement imparted thereto by the tube-forming machine.

FigurelZ indicates the condition of the parts after they have rotated from the position shown in Figure 10. In this position the saw blade is approaching the end of its down-stroke, and the tube, is completely cut through. The limit switch cam 39 then closes limit switch B, energizing a solenoid (not shown) which actuates the outlet trough, discharging the cuttube in the manner shown and described in the above identified patent. The limit switch B when closed also maintains a power circuit through the drive motor 6. This is requiredsince the target switch in the outlet trough, which started the cycle, has been opened by the discharge of thesevered tube. Relief cam 2|] has contacted roller 40 on the spindle housing, causing saw carriage 3, motor mounting l5, and saw blade l8 to move with respect to the spindle housing 28 and the gripped tube. This motion provides either the saw or the severed end ofthe tube on the Lip-stroke of the saw.

Figure 13 illustrates the disposition of the parts after they are moved 225 from the starting position. In this figure the saw blade is moving up and has just cleared the tube. The relief cam 20 has provided maximum clearance between the end of the gripped tube, and is now moving away from the roller 40, allowing springs 29 to shift the spindle housing 28 to its original position on the carriage. The gripper cam 24 will contact roller 33' of the gripper fork at this stage if the gripper is closed the maximum distance. This action will take place a short time later if the gripper is normally closed. The engagement of the grippercam with roller 33' starts the release of the tube, and as soon as the grip on the tube is released, the travel of the carriage stops.

Figure 14 shows the relative positions of the parts after they have turned 270 from the position of Figure 10. At this stage the saw blade continues to move up. The relief cam 20 has moved away from the rol er 40, allowing springs 29 to return the spindle housing 28 to its original position on the carriage. The gripper is fully opened and released, andthe carriage 3 is thus free to return to its original starting position. At

stitutions of equivalents may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In an apparatus of the character described,

- a carriage having a spindle coacting with a work- ,piece to be severed, a gripper mounted therein which when closed causes the carriage to partake of travel of the workpiece, a'rnotor and saw for severing the workpiece, a mounting for the motor and saw movable transversely of the axial line of workpiece travel, housing means slidably supporting said gripper on the carriage with freedom for movement relative thereto in a direction axial of the line of workpiece travel, and means for imparting additional axial movement to said carriage while the saw is being retracted after severing the workpiece so as to cause the saw to clear the severed end of the workpiece held by said gripper.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a carriage having a spindle coacting with a workpiece to be severed, a gripper mounted therein which when closed causes the carriage to' partake of travel of the workpiece, a motor and saw for severing the workpiece, a mounting for the motor and saw movable transversely of the axial line of workpiece travel, housing means slidably supporting said gripper on the carriage with freedom for movement relative thereto in a direction axial of the line of workpiece travel, means yieldingly urging said housing means axia ly in one direction, a relief cam for moving said housing means in the opposite direction, a saw-moving cam and connections for moving the saw mounting transversely of the axial line of workpiece travel, and a gripper cam for actuating said gripper, the several cams being so shaped and synchronized that the gripper remains in closed gripping contact with the workpiece while the saw is severing the latter and releases after the saw has been retracted transversely.

3. In apparatus of the character'described, a carriage having a spindle coacting with the workpiece to be severed, a gripper mounted therein which when closed causes the carriage to partake of travel of the workpiece, a motor carrying a saw for severing the workpiece, a mounting for the motor, a plurality of cranks supporting said mounting, said cranks being rotatable in aplane transverse of the axial line of workpiece travel, driving means supported by and movable with the carriage for rotating said cranks in unison, a housing slidably supporting said gripper on the carriage with freedom for movement relative thereto in a direction axial to the line of workpiece travel, and means for imparting ,axial movement to said carriage relative to the housing while the saw is being retracted aftersevering the workpiece so as to cause the saw to clear the severed end of the workpiece held by said gripper.

4. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a carriage, a spind e supported thereon carrying a gripper effective to cause the carriage to partake of movement in the axial direction of travel of the workpiece, a saw and driving means therefor, a mounting for the latter mounted on the carriage with freedom for movement transversely to the line of axial travel of the workpiece, means for moving said mounting transversely of the axial line of travel to cause the saw to sever the workpiece, a housing slidable with respect to the carriage and supporting said gripper, and means for moving said carriage axially of the line of workpiece travel in a direction away from the end of the workpiece upon completion of the severing operation and prior to the return of the saw transversely to a starting position clear of the path of workpiece travel.

WILLIAM E. EDWARDS. 

